


Time's Boomerang

by centaury_squill



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-18
Updated: 2011-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-20 12:45:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/212916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/centaury_squill/pseuds/centaury_squill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Takes place during Harry's 3rd year. When Hermione tries to turn the hourglass on the Time-Turner, they're unexpectedly disturbed by a student barging into the infirmary. Hermione loses her grip on the Time-Turner and by the time she and Harry finally catch it again, they're spinning back through time where they land in the entrance hall in front of seventh year student and loyal deatheater wannabe, Severus Snape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time's Boomerang

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Snarry-a-thon 2010. Contains quotations from _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_.

The first hint that something was wrong came as they emerged from their dizzy spin through time to see snow blowing in at the open doorway of the castle.

"I thought we were only supposed to go back three hours!" Harry said accusingly, staring at the hourglass they clutched between them by its fine gold chain. "This looks more like six months!"

Hermione's voice was a frightened squeak. "I think it's longer than that, Harry."

"What do you –" Harry began. Then he followed Hermione's pointing finger to the skinny teenage boy glaring suspiciously at them from across the Entrance Hall, and stopped in amazement.

The teenager was taller than they were, probably in his sixth or seventh year. But his features were unmistakable; they'd seen him glaring in just that way too many times over their three years at Hogwarts to be in any doubt.

It was Severus Snape.

 _  
**A few minutes earlier/seventeen years later**   
_

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, "is more _time_."

"But –" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you. _You must not be seen._ Miss Granger, you know the law – you know what is at stake... _you – must – not – be – seen._ "

Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is –" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated, as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

"He means us to go back in time," Hermione said, fumbling with the neck of her robes. "Three turns'll take us back three hours."

She pulled a very long, very fine gold chain from beneath her robes. Hanging on it was a tiny, glittering hourglass.

"A Time-Turner," she said. "It's how I've been getting to all my lessons this year. I had to promise not to use it for anything else." She held out the hourglass on its chain. "Harry, come here: we both need to be touching it. _Quick!_ "

Still puzzled, Harry began to walk towards Hermione, but before he could reach her the door leading to Madam Pomfrey's office crashed open and Colin Creevey burst in.

"Harry! Are you OK, Harry? I've been looking for you everywhere. People're saying – _oops!_ " – and he banged into Hermione, knocking the Time-Turner out of her hands as she started to throw its chain over Harry's head.

It flew high into the air, gold chain flashing as it turned in the late afternoon sun, tiny hourglass spinning impossibly fast, and hung above them for a heart-stopping moment. Then it fell back towards them, hourglass still spinning crazily. Both Harry and Hermione reached out to catch it...

XxXxX

Severus Snape slouched across the Entrance Hall, scowling to hide his pain. He'd been looking forward to this Christmas at Hogwarts as a time of peace – hardly any students staying behind, himself the only Slytherin – but now everything felt spoiled. Minutes before, that _turd_ James Potter had strutted past, his arm round Lily's shoulders, and boasted that she was spending Christmas with him – "So think of us while you wank in your lonely dorm, Snivellus!"

And then they were leaving, off through the front doors on their way to catch the Hogwarts Express. Lily glanced back once, with what might have been apology in her eyes, and they were gone. Potter couldn't even be arsed to close the doors behind him; snow whirled into the Entrance Hall, blown by icy gusts of wind.

Severus blinked. He was sure he'd been alone, yet there were two youngsters gawping at him across the Hall. Had they just come in through the open doors? He didn't remember seeing them before, but then he didn't have much to do with the younger kids, and these two certainly weren't Slytherins: a bushy-haired girl, looking like the worst kind of keen Ravenclaw, and...

Severus froze. No! It wasn't possible. How had he done it? And Lily, how _could_ she have helped the bastard play this trick on him?

"Very funny, Potter. How have you managed to look like Lily as well? Polyjuice?" he spat. He seized the boy by the throat and shook him, giving vent to all his hurt and betrayal and pain, as Potter's face turned red and Lily's eyes stared up at him accusingly.

The girl was seizing his arm, trying to stop him.

"Pr- S- Snape –! Please! He can't breathe!"

Severus gave the boy's throat a final vicious squeeze and let go, breathing heavily. He was dimly aware that the girl was still speaking, her voice shrill and frightened.

"...honestly, we're not Polyjuiced or anything... must get back before anyone else sees us... please help..."

He looked from her to the boy, whose green eyes glared back angrily, and made up his mind.

"Come with me to the Slytherin common room, then. If you are Polyjuiced, I'll know it in an hour."

XxXxX

Hermione sat tensely on the edge of an elaborately carved chair, watching Severus Snape's face. He hadn't taken his eyes off them since he'd marched herself and Harry in here nearly an hour ago. To her relief, the Slytherin common room was deserted; they sat, its sole occupants, in front of a crackling fire. Nobody spoke.

Snape constantly glanced from one to the other, obviously waiting for them to turn back into James Potter and... who did he think she was? Sirius Black, most likely. Hermione bit her lip. From what the adult Snape had said – _would_ say (oh, this was so confusing!) he and Sirius Black hated each other. And since this Snape looked to be in his seventh year, Sirius must already have played his nearly-fatal trick on him.

She and Harry would have to be careful. They mustn't tell Snape everything. In particular, they couldn't tell him the reason they were trying to travel three hours back in time; that they were trying to rescue Sirius from the Dementor's kiss. But they'd have to tell him part of the truth at least, if they hoped to persuade him to help them return to their own time.

Snape was starting to look confused as well as suspicious. His black eyes darted down to his wristwatch, then back to Harry and Hermione. His voice was uncertain as he said, "So how are you doing it, Potter?"

"I'm not doing anything," said Harry, annoyed.

Hermione caught the momentary flash of triumph in Snape's eyes and broke in quickly, "This is _Harry_ Potter. Not James. And I'm Hermione Granger."

Snape stared at her. "Harry Potter? Is he some relation of James's?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Harry said. He raised his eyebrows at Hermione. She sighed, pulled the Time-Turner from under her robes and held it out to Snape.

"We're from the future," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "This was only supposed to take us back a few hours, but there was an accident. We travelled further in time than we should have. And we have to get home!"

Snape's eyes narrowed. "How much further, exactly? Months? Years?" He held out his hand, and after a moment's hesitation Hermione put the tiny hourglass onto his palm. Snape examined it carefully.

" _Please_ ," Hermione said, sounding panicky, " _please_ help us. Horrible things can happen if people meddle with time. We have to get back!"

Snape looked up from his scrutiny of the Time-Turner. "I know of a very powerful wizard who might be able to help," he said, and his dark eyes lost their suspicious expression for a moment and shone with hero-worship.

"Do you mean Professor Dumbledore?" asked Harry.

"Dumbledore!" Snape spat scornfully. "Not bloody likely."

Hermione's jaw dropped as she realised who Snape probably meant. She frantically signalled to Harry to keep quiet. Fortunately Snape didn't see her; he was again looking at his watch.

"It's time for supper," he said. "I'd better go, they'll ask questions if I don't." He tossed the Time-Turner at Hermione and got up. "You'd better stay here, keep out of sight."

"Bring us back some food?" Harry said hopefully, reminded of just how hungry he was by a sudden growl from his stomach.

Snape sneered at him and went out, slamming the common room door behind him. As soon as he'd gone, Harry turned to Hermione.

"What were you pulling faces at me for?"

Hermione tutted. "Didn't you get it? – _I know of a very powerful wizard who might be able to help_ – Harry, he was talking about _Voldemort_!"

XxXxX

Harry stared at her. "What makes you think that?"

Hermione had that maddening look of superiority on her face. "Well, who else could it be?"

"Loads of people," Harry muttered. To his surprise, he'd felt a strange affinity with Snape-the-teenager which he'd certainly never had with the adult Snape; he didn't like to think of him as a Voldemort supporter in the making.

He jumped up from his chair. "C'mon, I'm hungry. If we sneak into the Great Hall we can grab some food without anyone noticing us."

Hermione stood up slowly, looking reluctant. "We mustn't be seen!" she said. "Though maybe if we use your Invisibility Cloak..."

Harry searched through his pockets; his face fell. "Oh no, I don't believe it... I must've left it in the Shrieking Shack."

Hermione made to sit down again, but Harry grabbed her arm. "Come _on_ , Hermione, I'm starving."

They crept out of the Slytherin common room and made their way up to the Entrance Hall, but the moment they peeped into the Great Hall they realised that they were out of luck. As with their last Hogwarts Christmas, now years in the future, so few students had stayed for the holidays that there was only a single table in use, in the very centre of the room. Without Harry's Invisibility Cloak they had no chance whatsoever of sneaking up to it unobserved. They lurked for a moment in the shadowy doorway, watching the people around the table.

Harry recognised Professor Dumbledore, looking much the same as ever, chatting to a slightly younger looking Professor McGonagall. Then came a couple of adults he'd never seen before, and next to them – Harry grinned – the unmistakable giant form of Hagrid, his black bushy beard even wilder than the last time Harry'd seen him. At the other side of the table sat four students about Harry's age, and on his own at the end was Snape, looking gawky and out of place. Everyone was chatting cheerfully apart from him. As Harry watched, he saw Dumbledore offer a platterful of mince pies to the youngsters with a cheery smile. He totally ignored Snape, who scowled down at his plate. Harry glanced at Hermione to see if she'd noticed, but she was looking at Professor McGonagall with a slight frown, as if trying to work out a tricky problem in class.

Finally, Hermione gave a tiny shrug, grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of the Great Hall.

"We'd better go back to the Slytherin common room," she whispered, "and hope Snape bothers to sneak some food out for us."

XxXxX

They waited in the common room for what seemed like hours to Harry; his stomach wouldn't stop rumbling. Eventually the door swung open and Snape marched in, carrying a huge plate piled high with sandwiches and mince pies.

"I nicked some stuff from the kitchen," he said, putting it down on a low table near the fire.

"Cheers, mate," Harry said without thinking, stretching out his hand for a sandwich.

Snape gave him an odd look, but didn't reply. He went over to an ornately carved sideboard and came back with a flagon and three silver goblets.

"So, how far back have you two travelled?" he asked, pouring pumpkin juice.

Harry's mouth was full of turkey sandwich. He chewed hard and swallowed, but Hermione beat him to it.

"What year is this?" she asked cautiously.

"1977," Snape said, staring at her. "It's Christmas, 1977. Now answer my question. What year are you from?"

Harry, who couldn't understand why Hermione was being so cagey, promptly said, "1994." This earned him a glare from Hermione.

"Seventeen years..." Snape said. "Incredible." He took a long drink of pumpkin juice, frowning to himself. Then he looked at Hermione. "How did you know my name?" he shot at her accusingly.

"Er, excuse me?" stammered Hermione.

"In the Entrance Hall. When I –" his glance flickered to Harry for a moment before he went on, "– when I first saw you, I'm sure you called me Snape."

"No, no – I – er – " Hermione went pink and fell silent.

Snape gave her a very suspicious look but didn't press her. There was an awkward silence. Harry, demolishing turkey sandwiches at Weasley speed, suddenly realised that he'd eaten the lot. He looked guiltily at Hermione.

"Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to eat yours too."

Snape got up. "I'll see if I can get the house-elves to make some more," he said.

"House-elves?" Hermione said sharply. "Hogwarts doesn't employ house-elves, does it?"

"Of course it does," Snape said. "Always has, always will. Who do you think does all the cooking and cleaning?" And he stalked out, without giving Hermione chance to reply. She turned to Harry.

"Did _you_ know that Hogwarts employs house-elves?"

Harry shrugged, and reached for a mince pie.

XxXxX

Severus was frowning as he walked along the dungeon corridors towards the kitchen. These strangers – were they really from the future? If that little hourglass thing of theirs was capable of such magic, the Dark Lord would reward him handsomely for... acquiring... it for him. But if it proved to be a hoax, the Dark Lord would _not_ be pleased... Severus shuddered. He'd better find out more, first. If he befriended the pair... or one of them...

Not the girl. She'd annoyed him from the first. And she was obviously a Mudblood. Fancy not knowing about Hogwarts house-elves! And why look so indignant about it, anyway?

The boy, then. What had he said his name was? Ah, Harry. Looking like, but unlike, James Potter, and with Lily Evans's eyes... if he really _was_ from the future... Severus hastily shied away from the implications of that.

There was something else about him, too... something which reminded Severus of his own young self during his first years at Hogwarts. The way he'd wolfed down those sandwiches as if accustomed to not knowing where his next meal was coming from. His skinny body, and air of insecurity. A far cry from James Potter's pampered sleekness, his casual assumption of superiority...

His angry thoughts about James Potter stuttered to a halt as he reached the pear picture hiding the entrance to the kitchen. Time to sweet-talk the house-elves into giving him some goodies. Maybe that would help win Harry's confidence...

XxXxX

Harry and Hermione were in the middle of an argument.

"I don't know why you're sticking up for him all of a sudden," Hermione said. "For the past two years I'm the one who's said that Professor Snape isn't all bad, while you –"

"But he's NOT Professor Snape," Harry interrupted. "He's not much older than us. And he seems OK."

"Just because he fed you," Hermione said scornfully. "Honestly, Harry, you're as bad as Ron sometimes."

Harry grinned reluctantly. He didn't know why he felt this affinity between himself and the teenage Snape, but there was no denying it was there. He said, "Why've you taken against him, Hermione?"

Hermione tutted. "Didn't you see his face when I showed him the Time-Turner? Didn't you hear what he said? You could tell he wanted it for Lord Voldemort. He probably thinks it'll buy his way into the Death Eaters' inner circle, or something."

"You keep on saying that," Harry snapped, "but I bet you can't prove it."

"Oh, don't be so naive." Hermione got up from her chair. "I'm going to find someone I can trust."

Harry stood up too, and grabbed her hand. "Not Dumbledore."

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I thought you liked him."

Harry thought of Dumbledore ignoring the teenage Snape in the Great Hall earlier. He shrugged. "I – I'm not sure."

"Anyway, I wasn't thinking of him."

"Who, then?"

Hermione pulled her hand free of Harry's. "Professor McGonagall. She's the one who gave me the Time-Turner; she might know enough about it to get us back." She frowned. "And now I think about it, she was a bit – mysterious – when she gave it to me. Maybe she knew this would happen."

Harry groaned. "Just thinking about all this time stuff makes my head spin." He sat down again, picked up his goblet of pumpkin juice and took a long drink.

"Come with me, Harry," Hermione said earnestly. "I don't like to think of you alone with Snape. I wish I hadn't shown him the Time-Turner, now."

"Too late to think of that," Harry said. "Unless your favourite teacher Lockhart taught you some sneaky Memory charms last year."

Hermione blushed. "Pity he didn't," she muttered.

It was clear to Harry that she'd like to Obviate Snape if she could. "You're wrong about Snape," he said firmly. "And I'm staying here."

XxXxX

"Where's the Mudblood?" Severus demanded, returning to the common room carrying a loaded plate.

"Don't call her that," Harry said, glaring at the older boy.

To his surprise, Severus went a dull red, and mumbled something which might have been an apology. He put the plate down beside Harry; it contained more turkey sandwiches, sausage rolls, and a large piece of Christmas cake.

"Hermione's gone to look for Professor McGonagall," Harry went on. "She thinks she may know something about the Time-Turner." He watched Severus closely; this information should worry him if Hermione's suspicions were correct.

But Severus seemed unconcerned. He picked up a knife from the side of the plate and began cutting the Christmas cake into slices. "All the more for us, then." He handed a piece to Harry. "I'm right though, aren't I? She's Muggleborn? Fancy not knowing about Hogwarts house-elves!"

"No reason why she should," said Harry, annoyed. He broke a piece of marzipan off his slice of cake and popped it in his mouth. "I didn't even know there were such things as house-elves until last year," he said indistinctly.

Severus' shoulder twitched irritably. "How come? If you're a relative of James Potter's, _you_ can't be a Mud- sorry, Muggleborn."

"I was brought up by Muggles," Harry said. "And they hate wizards. Uncle Vernon even tried to stop me coming to Hogwarts. And Aunt Petunia –"

He heard a strangled sort of gasp, and glanced at the boy beside him. Severus was staring at him, a strange look on his face.

"Petunia Evans? Lily's sister?"

It was Harry's turn to stare. "Yeah. How did you know?"

Severus scowled at him, as if Harry were a complicated Arithmancy problem he'd just worked out and didn't much like the answer. He said slowly, "I've known Petunia Evans most of my life. She's a complete bitch."

XxXxX

It took Hermione some time to find the way to Professor McGonagall's rooms. First she walked cautiously down the corridor leading from the Slytherin common room, hiding behind a pillar every time she heard a noise, for she did not want to meet Snape on his way back from the kitchens. Then she got lost in the twisting maze of underground passages, all seeming alike. At last she found herself back in the deserted Entrance Hall, and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew the way from here.

It was only when she was already knocking on the office door that Hermione had the unwelcome thought that perhaps Professor McGonagall did not occupy these rooms in this time. She had a heart-stopping moment of anxiety before she heard the familiar Scottish tones call briskly, "Enter!"

Hermione shivered as she obeyed, partly with cold – her light summer robes weren't much protection against the icy draughts which blew along the castle's corridors in winter – but also with apprehension. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.

"Er, Professor McGonagall – I need your help."

Professor McGonagall looked at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I don't recognise you. You're not one of my Gryffindors, are you."

"Yes – yes, I am. Or rather, I will be. In about fifteen years' time."

She took in Professor McGonagall's expression, and hurried on, "Honestly, it's not a joke. There was an accident – with this."

And she pulled the Time-Turner from beneath her robes and held it out to the startled professor.

XxXxX

Harry followed Severus out of the common room and along the narrow passageway leading to the Slytherin dormitories. Both boys were quiet, lost in thought.

Severus hadn't asked any more about Harry's family; it was almost as though he was afraid of what he might learn. And Harry hadn't liked to ask the question foremost in his thoughts: how well did Severus know Harry's mum? They'd spent the rest of the evening silently staring into the fire. At last Severus had said that it was getting late, they'd better go to bed before the house-elves came in to tidy the common room and make up the fire.

"You can have Rosier's bed, that one over by the window," Severus said when they reached his dormitory.

"Window?" Harry asked. "I thought we were underground."

"We're under the lake," said Severus, preparing to draw the curtains round his four-poster. "You'll see it tomorrow, when it's light."

And sure enough, the next morning Harry awoke to a strange green light flooding into the room through the window. He slipped out of bed and pressed his nose against the glass. He could see the water of the lake, hazy and murky at this depth; a long tentacle rapped on the glass, making him jump.

"That'll be the Giant Squid. We get the Merpeople looking in at us sometimes too, pulling faces and threatening us with their spears."

Harry looked round. Severus had pulled back his curtains and was sitting on the side of his bed watching him.

"Blimey. Aren't you afraid of the glass breaking?"

Severus gave a contemptuous snort. "Of course not. Protective spells all over it. Look!" And he picked his wand up from his bedside table and pointed it at the window.

Harry barely had time to duck before a spell sizzled past him and struck the glass. The whole window glowed a dull red for a moment but was otherwise unaffected.

"See?" Severus said offhandedly, returning his wand to the bedside table. "That spell would've shattered any ordinary window."

Harry believed him. He'd felt the power of the spell as it passed him; for a moment he had a weird vision of a room full of Slytherins firing curses at each other and hitting the window instead. He grinned, looking down so Severus wouldn't see. The sight of the grubby T shirt and underpants he had on reminded him that he didn't have much to wear.

"I say," he said diffidently, "could you lend me some clothes?"

Severus eyed him for a moment then jumped off his bed and hauled a battered school trunk from underneath. He kept the lid half closed so Harry only got a glimpse inside, but he could tell that Severus was as badly-off for possessions as he was himself. However, the older boy produced a baggy pair of jeans, a green sweater with the Slytherin crest of silver snakes worked into the left side of the chest, some underwear, and a grey nightshirt. He tossed the bundle of clothes over to Harry.

"Wait for me in the common room," he said, and went off carrying his own clothes, presumably heading for the bathroom.

Harry looked thoughtfully at the clothes. The green sweater could almost have been the one Mrs Weasley knitted for him his first Christmas at Hogwarts, apart from the Slytherin snakes. He felt a pang. When would he see his own time again?

XxXxX

When Harry eventually entered the common room, Severus had gone to breakfast, but Hermione was there, wearing a tartan cloak. He could see the gold chain of the Time-Turner flash against her throat as she turned towards him. He suddenly had what seemed like a brilliant idea.

"Hermione, I've just thought. Maybe I could warn – them – never to trust Peter Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper! What d'you reckon?"

Hermione looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I don't think it would work. Even if they believed you, they'd forget all about it when you'd gone." She took a deep breath. "Professor McGonagall explained that's one of the effects of travelling back in time as far as we have. She says it's all governed by something called, um, Margolian's Coefficient of Magical Restitution. I didn't really understand most of it –"

"It must be seriously complicated, then!" said Harry.

"Oh, it is. Apparently, we'll, um, sort of snap back to where – _when_ – we're meant to be."

"So when's this snapping back thing supposed to happen?"

"Professor McGonagall says it should have happened already. She thinks there must be something holding us in this time. She needs to find out what it is before it's too late."

"And if she can't?"

Hermione's eyes were very big. "Then we'll just vanish. And we won't appear anywhere. It'll be like we never existed at all."

XxXxX

Hermione could see the shock in Harry's eyes, mirroring her own. But before they could say any more, the common room door opened and Severus Snape came in, carrying a tray with a pile of toast, some rashers of bacon and a coffee pot. He stopped on seeing Hermione, frowned, and banged the tray down on the table without a word.

Harry glanced at him uncertainly. Severus stalked over to the sideboard and began rummaging inside its cupboard. Harry sandwiched bacon between slices of toast and offered some to Hermione, but she shook her head. "No thanks. Professor McGonagall gave me breakfast before she left."

Severus came back from the sideboard with mugs, and poured coffee. Harry took a sip, pulled a face. "Is there any sugar?"

Severus gave an exaggerated sigh, but pulled his wand out and flicked it in the general direction of the sideboard. "Accio sugar!"

An silver blur shot out of the cupboard and skidded onto the table, where it revealed itself as an ornate silver bowl full of sugar lumps. Elaborately worked snakes coiled around the rim. As Harry reached into the bowl the snakes hissed and struck at his fingers.

Annoyed, Harry hissed back. The snakes calmed, stilled. Harry carefully picked three lumps of sugar out of the bowl and plopped them into his mug. Severus stared at him, obviously impressed; Hermione frowned when she saw his expression. The snakes on Harry's borrowed sweater seemed to writhe approvingly as he leaned forward to pick up a spoon from the tray. He stirred his coffee nonchalantly, smiling to himself.

Severus noticed Hermione watching, and went red.

"Where's McGonagall gone?" he demanded curtly.

"She, er, she's gone to see a friend about a problem," Hermione said warily, not wanting to mention the Time-Turner in front of Snape.

Harry had no such inhibition. "Oh, about what's keeping us stuck here? Is this friend a Time expert, then? Has she any idea what –"

"Only vaguely," Hermione interrupted, with a quick glance at Snape. "Professor McGonagall said she's hoping to be able to tell us more when she gets back this evening."

"Oh," Harry said, "not till this evening?" He finished the last of the bacon sandwiches and took a swig of coffee. "What are we going to do all day?" He looked at Severus. "Have you got a Wizard chess set, or anything?"

Severus shrugged. "I've got my mum's old Gobstones, if you kids fancy a game."

Hermione stood up. "Not me, I think I'll go and read some of Professor McGonagall's books," she said, just as Harry exclaimed, with a cocky grin, "OK Severus, and I bet I beat you!"

As she left the common room she heard Snape saying, in a voice part threat, part caress, "We'll see about _that_ , Little Snake."

XxXxX

Hermione was so engrossed in Professor McGonagall's copy of _Advanced Transfiguration_ , it took her some time to realise she was no longer alone. She looked up, blinking.

"I said, you look as if you're enjoying that." Professor McGonagall sounded amused.

"Ooh, yes," said Hermione. She looked at her watch. "Golly, is it that time already?" She put the book down and leaned forward eagerly. "Did you talk to your friend? Did they have any idea what the problem is with the Time-Turner?"

Professor McGonagall smiled at her. "Possibly," she said. "I do need more information before I can be sure. Where's your young friend, Harry Potter?"

Hermione's face clouded. "He's in the Slytherin common room with Snape." She hesitated for a moment, then burst out, "I'm really worried about Harry, Professor. I think Snape's a bad influence on him."

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Well, I suppose one can't expect a Gryffindor and a Slytherin to get on –"

"That's just it," said Hermione. "They're getting on _too_ well."

She was surprised to see Professor McGonagall smile, and nod slightly, as if this information pleased her. Hermione said hotly, "Harry won't hear a word against him, but I'm sure Snape's only being nice to Harry so he can get his hands on our Time-Turner."

"And why would he want to do that?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"For Voldemort!" Hermione said.

Professor McGonagall looked at her thoughtfully, but all she said was, "Well, Miss Granger, I would like you to go to the Slytherin common room – taking care not to be seen, of course – and bring them back here for supper."

"Snape as well?" Hermione asked. She felt aggrieved: hadn't the professor been listening to her?

"Most definitely Snape as well."

Hermione was silently fuming as she made her way back to the Slytherin common room. As far as she was concerned, the less Snape knew about their predicament with the Time-Turner, the better. She was sure he meant trouble. And _why_ didn't Harry share her feeling? Still, maybe after a whole day together, he'd have realised that Severus Snape wasn't to be trusted.

This hope died as soon as she opened the common room door to the sound of laughter. Harry and Severus were kneeling in a circle of Gobstones, Harry's face was dripping in Gobstone goo, and Severus was looking at him with an intense expression which made Hermione feel deeply uncomfortable without quite knowing why.

Severus saw Hermione; his face instantly became closed.  
"I suppose I'd better go to the Great Hall for supper," he said, slowly getting to his feet.

"Professor McGonagall's back," said Hermione, "and she's invited us to have supper in her rooms. You too," she added, looking at Severus with dislike before whisking out of the room.

She called back over her shoulder, "And, Harry, you'd better clean up your face."

XxXxX

Professor McGonagall whisked away the used plates and glasses with a tap of her wand and smiled around at her guests. She'd been discreetly observing them during the meal, and was pleased to see for herself the rapport between Harry and Severus which so worried Hermione. She cleared her throat.

"I expect you're all wondering whether I learned anything pertaining to your problem today. The answer is that I am not sure. My friend is certainly an expert on the use of Time-Turners, but from what she had to tell me, I'm surprised that anyone ever dares to use one. They do appear to be rather prone to error. And such errors can be catastrophic, as I'm sure you must be aware."

Hermione nodded. "You warned me lots of wizards have ended up killing their past or future selves, when you gave me the Time-Turner." She went pink. "Er, when you _will_ give me the Time-Turner, I mean. In 1993."

Professor McGonagall gave a wry smile. "Well, at least I warn you to be careful," she said. "But be that as it may, I think I have an inkling as to why you remain trapped in this time." Her gaze lingered on Severus Snape for a moment, then she turned to Harry.

"Miss Granger has already given me her account of the events leading up to the use of the Time-Turner which brought you here. Now I wish to hear your version. In particular, I would like you to describe in detail what happened to you when the Dementors attacked you by the lake."

Severus started at the mention of Dementors. Hermione gave a muffled squeak of protest, drawing Professor McGonagall's attention.

"Is there anything you wish to say, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked angrily at Snape. "Professor, are you sure you want _him_ to hear this – after what I –"

"I am aware of your views on the subject, Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall, in such a repressive tone that Hermione subsided, although she continued to look daggers at Snape.

He got up, swallowing hard, his prominent Adams apple bobbing in his thin neck. "I don't want to listen to this rubbish anyway."

"Please stay, Severus," Harry said.

Professor McGonagall nodded briskly. "Yes, please stay, Mr Snape."

Severus hesitated.

Professor McGonagall looked at him very seriously. "I am asking you to stay, Mr Snape, because I believe that, fundamentally, you have Harry's best interests at heart."

Snape went red, but sat down next to Harry again without further protest.

XxXxX

Harry felt again the icy chill of a hundred Dementors all converging upon him at once, and shuddered. Severus put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Harry took a deep breath, and began.

"We – Hermione and me – were down by the lake with my godfather. Everything went cold – Dementors – loads of them. I tried to cast a Patronus, but it didn't work properly. I was getting colder and colder –"

He shivered violently; Severus tightened his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry went on:

"I tried and tried to think of something happy – I thought how I'd be leaving the Dursleys for good and going to live with my godfather – but I could only get a thin wisp out of my wand – the Dementors were closing in – I could hear my mum screaming –"

Here Severus went tense; his hand fell from Harry's shoulder, but he didn't say anything.

"One of the Dementors lowered its hood – it was vile – it grabbed my throat – I nearly passed out."

He had to stop again, overcome by the awful memory.

"Then, then, there was this bright silver light, I couldn't hear screaming any more, it was getting warmer. I could see the Dementors being driven back by this big shining animal – it was a Patronus – it scared all the Dementors away. Then it galloped across the lake, I could just see someone on the far bank, patting it."

"Do you know who it was?" asked Professor McGonagall.

Harry shrugged. "I know it sounds daft," he said. "I know he's dead and everything – but I thought it looked like my dad."

There was silence for a moment, then Professor McGonagall went on with her questioning.

"And you say you yourself only managed a thin wisp from your wand on this occasion?"

Harry nodded.

"Have you ever succeeded in casting a fully-formed Patronus?"

"Yeah, once. When I thought the Dementors had invaded the Quidditch pitch again. But it turned out they weren't real Dementors, just some tossers playing a trick."

Professor McGonagall blinked. "What an exciting time the future must be," she said drily. "Invaded the Quidditch pitch _again_ , you say. Do I take it they had already done so?"

"Yes, and I couldn't fight them off. I kept hearing Voldemort killing my mum. I always hear that when a Dementor gets near me."

Severus went white. Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully, "So-o-o-o, although you are capable of producing a fully-formed Patronus, you are unable to do so in the presence of Dementors?"

Harry nodded miserably. "That's right. Real Dementors – or even a Boggart pretending to be a Dementor – and all I get is a silver mist."

"Forgive me if this distresses you, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said kindly. "But it is necessary I ask these questions. Now, can you tell me what happy memories you use when attempting to cast a Patronus?"

Harry thought for a moment. "I remember trying, um – my first broom ride – finding out I was a wizard and coming to Hogwarts – that there was a chance I'd be leaving the Dursleys for good. Nothing worked." He looked rueful. "I guess none of my memories are happy enough to drive off a hundred Dementors. Or even one."

There was a long silence. Then Professor McGonagall said, her voice suspiciously husky, "Thank you, Harry." She pulled a tartan handkerchief from her robe pocket and blew her nose loudly.

When she spoke again her voice was firm and no-nonsense once more. "Miss Granger, Mr Potter, if you would please go into the other room for a moment. I wish to speak to Mr Snape, alone."

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances before doing as she asked. Harry was strongly tempted to listen at the keyhole and find out what the professor was saying to Severus, but a glare from Hermione stopped him. It seemed like hours before the door opened and Professor McGonagall called them back, to dismiss Harry and Severus to the Slytherin dormitories.

Severus was very quiet on the long walk through the castle's corridors; still quiet as he got ready for bed and drew the curtains around his four-poster, hiding his troubled face from Harry's eyes.

XxXxX

Harry sat up in bed, listening to the fading echo of the scream which had awakened him, unsure if it had come from his own throat, or whether it had been part of his nightmare. He'd dreamed of his mum's last moments again, of Voldemort's shrill laugh and his mother's screams... He hugged his knees to his chest and groaned.

There was the rattle of curtain rings and Severus' voice came from across the room.

"Harry? Are you all right?"

Harry squeezed his knees tightly, fighting back tears. His words came in little gasps.

"Nightmare – Voldemort – killing – my mum." He took a deep, ragged breath. "All that talk – about Dementors –" He snuffled, wiping his face against his nightshirt sleeve. "Sorry – to be – such a – wimp –"

The creak of a four-poster, bare feet padding across the floor, and Severus was beside Harry on the bed, arms reaching round him.

"Hush, Little Snake. You're safe with me."

Soothed by the warmth of Severus' body, the kindness in his voice, Harry relaxed against him, slowly mastering his tears. Severus' fingers grazed lightly across his wet cheek. Harry released his grip on his knees and tentatively rested his hands on the older boy's shoulders.

A glow from the window lessened the night-time darkness of the room as luminous tentacles floated by on the other side of the glass. Waving and wriggling, they looked like blurred, squirming snakes to Harry. The slithery sibilants of Parseltongue hissed from his lips; he tightened his grasp on Severus' shoulders. Severus groaned and moved against him; his lips brushed Harry's. Harry could feel him trembling.

The Giant Squid floated off into the depths of the lake, darkness returned to the dormitory, Harry fell silent. Severus pressed his lips more firmly against Harry's, rolling over so he was straddling the younger boy. Harry could feel something hard and hot pressing against his stomach through his thin cotton nightshirt. Severus took Harry's hand in his and guided it downwards, adroitly twitching up both their nightshirts with his other hand so that Harry found himself grasping Severus' naked cock.

Harry yelped in surprise; Severus thrust his tongue into his mouth, silencing him, but then drew back, shaking, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Little Snake. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I'm not frightened!" Harry said indignantly. "You just – startled me a bit." He tightened his hand around Severus' cock and grinned to himself at the moan the older boy gave.

Severus surged against him, kissing and stroking, and Harry responded, feeling his whole body tingle; his cock hardened under Severus' touch.

"Severus..." he whispered. "Oh, yes...."

Harry wriggled eagerly under the older boy, he wanted – _more_ , but wasn't quite sure what to do. Severus fumbled with something on the bedside table for a moment, then held their bare cocks together between slippery fingers, thrusting with his hips.

Lips meeting, tongues touching, cocks sliding together, the boys made love. Harry had never experienced such utter happiness. The luminous tentacles of the Giant Squid were back at the window, casting a subtle glow over the scene. An explosive burst of Parseltongue announced Harry's orgasm, celebrated Severus'.

Afterwards, as he drifted contentedly off to sleep, held close in Severus' arms, Harry thought he heard a quiet whisper.

"I don't want to lose you, Little Snake..."

XxXxX

The next day the aura of satisfied passion around the two boys was almost palpable; an eyesight far less keen than Professor McGonagall's would have perceived it. She smiled at them rather sadly.

"It's time for you to leave us, Mr Potter. If I'm not mistaken, you should find yourself well-armed against Dementors now."

Harry blushed. "Do I have to go?" he asked plaintively. "Can't I stay in this time, with, with –" He looked at Severus.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I'm afraid that's impossible." She glanced at Hermione, who was looking from Harry to Severus and biting her lip. "Only one thing remains to be done, and you and Miss Granger will return to your own time."

Taking a small crystal bottle from her desk, she added, "I must ensure I know to procure a Time-Turner for Miss Granger at the right moment in the future." She touched her wand to her temple, withdrew a silvery strand and corked it away in the bottle. Then she looked at Severus.

"And you, Mr Snape. Is there anything you will wish to recall when the time is right?"

Severus looked at Harry. "Yes," he said simply. He drew his own wand and touched it to his forehead, his dark eyes still fixed on Harry. Professor McGonagall handed him another small crystal bottle. As Severus slowly removed the wand from his forehead, strands of bright silvery mist, shot through with gleams of gold, came away with it.

Severus drew a deep breath. "Professor McGonagall?" he said uncertainly.

"Don't worry, Mr Snape," she said, helping him to imprison the mist in the bottle. "I shall make sure you regain this memory as soon as may be, once these two have completed their little adventure." Then she looked at Hermione.

"Miss Granger, I still have these rooms in the future, you said?"

When Hermione nodded, Professor McGonagall waved her wand at a portrait of a goldfish pond above her desk. The fish darted in agitation as it swung outwards, revealing a small hiding place in the wall. She placed the two bottles inside, closed the portrait, and turned to Harry and Hermione.

"Put the Time-Turner round both your necks, and – good luck!"

Hermione promptly pulled the little hourglass on its long golden chain from beneath her robes and threw the chain around Harry's neck. Professor McGonagall began a series of complicated spells on the portrait, designed to keep her and Severus' memories safe and reveal them to her at the proper time. She had no sooner completed the last spell when Harry felt the room begin to spin. He barely had time for a last exchange of glances with Severus, before he and Hermione were whirled away.

XxXxX

A confused blur of flickering images and they were back in the hospital wing. Colin Creevey stood in front of them, his mouth open in surprise. Hermione muttered something, clutching the hourglass, and they were off again, coming to rest once more in the Entrance Hall. But this time summer sunshine, not snow, streamed in through the open front doors, and there was no sign of a teenage Severus Snape.

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and hustled him into a broom cupboard. Her ear pressed to the door, she announced with a sigh of relief that they must have got it right this time, she could hear the three of them under the Invisibility Cloak, going down the steps on their way to Hagrid's hut.

Harry felt weird, disorientated. Part of him wished he was still in 1977, safe in Severus' arms, but a more practical part was in control as he and Hermione ran from the castle and eventually succeeded in snatching Buckbeak the Hippogriff away under the noses of the Ministry officials sent to execute him. Shortly afterwards, hidden by a clump of trees, they watched a motley procession disappearing under the roots of the Whomping Willow, their former selves among them. And then – last of all – Severus Snape.

He was older, of course. But to Harry he was no longer the professor he'd always hated: he could see the younger Severus in the adult features. As Snape picked up Harry's Invisibility Cloak from the base of the Whomping Willow and disappeared underneath it, Harry felt complete again; he realised that he loved Severus still.

XxXxX

Harry ran towards the lake. In the moonlight he could see Dementors appearing from every direction, converging on the opposite bank. He felt the familiar chill as one glided past him. Across the water he saw feeble spurts of silver: his own unsuccessful attempts to produce a Patronus capable of driving them away. _Then_ , none of his happy memories had been powerful enough to work. Things were different now.

He reached the edge of the lake. On the opposite bank a group of Dementors were clustering round people lying on the ground: he knew one of them must be himself, and Severus Snape would be nearby, unconscious and vulnerable. Everything depended on him, Harry. He raised his wand.

Across the lake, one of the Dementors lowered its hood.

Harry concentrated fiercely on a memory which for him was only a night ago, even though it lay seventeen years in the past. Once again he lay in Severus Snape's arms, the luminous glow of Giant Squid tentacles rested upon them like a blessing, his body thrilled to Severus' touch.

His happiness was made complete by the knowledge that somewhere in the castle, in about half an hour from now, Professor McGonagall would be returning a certain memory to Severus Snape...

  
**  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"   
**   


  


-end-


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